


A Valentine's Guide

by RoguishRobin



Series: Pridemas [24]
Category: Pride (2014)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-09
Updated: 2017-02-09
Packaged: 2018-09-23 03:50:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9639581
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoguishRobin/pseuds/RoguishRobin
Summary: Mark scrambles to plan something for Valentine's Day.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is the second last part of this series but I won't post the last one until next Christmas so I can finally finish what I set out to do. Hope you enjoy this.

“Oi, Gethin what do you have planned for Valentine’s?” Jeff called from where he was sprawled across Bromley on the sofa in Gethin and Jonathan’s lounge. Gethin, who was sitting on a stool by the window trying to darn a shirt, furrowed his brow. 

“Hmm, what did you say?”

“I asked what you and Jonathan are doing on Valentine’s Day?” repeated Jeff, playing with Bromley’s fingers.

“It’s Jonathan’s turn to plan this year, so I’ve no idea, I’m afraid,” Gethin said and turned to smile at his boyfriend who had just come into the lounge carrying a towering tray of sandwiches.

“Oh really? You take turns to plan every year?” Jeff sat up, intrigued.

“Yeah, it’s one of our better traditions, in my humble opinion,” Jonathan stated proudly, puffing up his chest a bit and grinning at Gethin, “ and you’re in for a wild ride, darling.”

“Jonathan!” Gethin giggled at Jonathan’s suggestive leer.

Mark groaned from his place on the ground at the coffee table, he had picked the place for a very strategic reason, here he would have dibs on the first sandwiches. Mike nudged his shoulder from behind. He was sitting on the worn suede armchair, one leg curled up beneath him, the other occasionally nudging Mark when he wanted his boyfriend’s attention and he had a squishy orange cushion hugged to his chest. 

Mark immediately turned around and Mike just smiled serenely, “Get me an egg mayonnaise, yeah?”

Mark mumbled under his breath about demanding boyfriends but they both knew that he wouldn’t want it any other way.

Jonathan put down the tray, undeterred, and then walked to Gethin to plant a smacking kiss on Gethin’s lips.

“Well, I think that’s sweet,” Jeff said and Bromley hummed his agreement.

“So do I,” Steph chimed in. She hadn’t been around as much lately since she had met Jenny. 

“Jenny and I are going to Brighton for two days,” she sighed dreamily and Mark pretended to gag.

“Valentine’s just a social construct that exists to make money, so we’re all playing into capitalist hands,” he snapped and Mike nudged him again.

“Let them enjoy it, just because you don’t like it…” Mark frowned at his boyfriend for a moment before opening his mouth again, “but it’s ridiculous. You don’t honestly buy into all that crap?”

“I think it’s overdone but at the same time it’s nice to show someone how much you care. Don’t worry, I’m not expecting anything special to happen next Saturday,” Mike said good-naturedly.

Mark didn’t say anything else but he couldn’t get Mike’s response out of his head. Is that something that Mike wanted, Mark didn’t want to participate in this artificial holiday, yet he also didn’t want to disappoint Mike. Mike deserved only the best, that was the one thing of which he was certain. The conversation carried on long after Mark stopped paying attention.

 

It was Thursday afternoon and Mark was having a bit of a meltdown. He still had no clue what he was supposed to do on Valentine’s for Mike. 

The trouble was he didn’t want to ask anyone for advice because while it would be given freely the teasing would be merciless. Frankly, he would never live it down. After staring at the empty fruit bowl on his kitchen counter for an hour he gathered whatever was left of his pride and made his way to Gethin and Jonathan’s. 

He was relieved to find Jonathan alone in the kitchen stirring in one of the many pots simmering on the stove and softly humming along to the radio, his hips swaying along to the music. Mark bit his lip for a moment before taking the plunge, “Hello Jonathan, could I talk to you for a bit.”

“Has Gethin put you up to this?” Jonathan narrowed his eyes in suspicion and wiped his hands. Mark wanted the ground to swallow him in that moment but forged on bravely.

“No, I’m asking for myself. I find myself lacking in inspiration,” he admitted and Jonathan’s eyes widened.

“Huh! Was not expecting that. Now I owe Gethin five quid. Cheers for that.” 

Mark scowled, “you and Gethin bet on me?”

“Yeah, Gethin called it. He said you got that look about you the other day when we were talking about Valentine’s plans, that look that you get when you decide to save the world.”

“Well, if only it were saving the world. That I can do!” Mark sighed and Jonathan took pity on the younger man.

“I think it’s nice that you want to do this for Mike. And the only advice I have for you is to make it personal. I know that you don’t like all that consumerist shit so just don’t buy it. Make your own card, it’ll probably mean a lot more to Mike that way anyway. Just do things that are special to the two of you. Show him just how much you care. Besides, you can do just about anything and Mike will still be the happiest man on earth because he loves you so much.”

Jonathan patted Mark’s shoulder and turned back to the stove. Mark just stayed sitting at the kitchen table lost in thought. Jonathan was right, he had been overthinking this endeavour. He knew Mike better than anyone else so he just had to plan a day filled with all the things Mike loved, this was easy and for the first time Mark thought that maybe Valentine’s Day wasn’t so bad after all.

 

“This was the best day ever,” panted Mike, lying stretched out next to Mark, their bodies still glistening with sweat, slowly cooling down.

“It really was,” Mark replied smugly and threw a leg over Mike’s legs and rested his head on Mike’s chest. 

“Next year is your turn,” he mumbled and pressed a feather light kiss onto Mike’s chest and snuggled in further, “now hush I need a nap.”

Mark drifted off to the accompanying rumble of Mike’s chuckles.

“Happy Valentine’s you berk,” he whispered and closed his eyes too.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading. Kudos and comments are love.


End file.
